Front-axle construction



1,638,953 Aug. 16, 1927 H. OPPENHEIM AL FRONT Aims coNsTnuc'TIoN Filed June 15. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y J6 l I avwcMlo/rl 71H Qlo/oezden B elfi/Gr.56.

Aug. 16, 1927. y

T. H. QP'FENi-HEIM ET Al.

FRONT AXLE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 1s".- 1926 2 sheets-51km 2 Mmmm - Rigidly secured Patented ug. 16, 1927.

UNITED ASTATES PATENT OFFICE. f

THEODORE H. OPIENHEIM ANI)r BERNARD SELHORST, 0F COLDWATER, OHIO, AS-

SIGNORS TO THE NEW IDEA SPREADER C0., 0F COLDWATER, OHIO, A CORPORATION Yon OHIO.

FRONT-AXLE .CON STRUCTION Application iled` June 15,

Our vpresent invention relates to the front axles of corn huskcrs and shredders, ensilage cutters, corn shellers and other machines in which there is provided a conveyor at the front end of the machine to carrytherefrom the product of the machine. One object of the invention .is to provide an axle struc* ture which will permit the machine vto be turned about a short radius and will also permit the conveyor to be mounted at a low pointxo'f the machine frame without inter fering in any way with the action of the draft pole or tongue in steering or pulling the machine. These stated objects, and other objects which will incidentally appear in the course ofthe following description, are attained in-such a structure as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed outin theappended claims.

ln the drawings:

Y Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a front Vaxle structure embodying Vour improvements;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the line 1-1 in this .Figure indicating the plane of the section shown in Fig. 1;

is a front elevation, with parts broken away and parts in section;

.Figa 4 is an enlarged detail section on the line 4-4 of Fig.,2;

Fig. 5 is a 'detail section `of the wheel spindle and its mounting.

*i In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 ,indicates aportion of the frame bars ofl a VYmachinewhich are disposed above longitudinal'side sills 2 and are connected with the .sills-sattheir endsl -by gusset plates 3, the ends of the sills projecting forwardly Ybeyond the frame bars `and the gusset plates, Yas .shownvv clearly in Figs, 1 Iand 2. A portionoffa conveyor' is shown at 4the said conveyor including'an endless belt or apron 5 havinggcleats or pushing devices 6 secured atv -fintervals thereon. This conveyor -V is 'shown mounted upona shaft 'L' which is car- -riedin suitable bearings providedtherefor and .secured upon the under sides of the front projecting endsv ofthe sillsj2, but it willbelunderstood kthat the details whereby the conveyor is' supported and driven Aare fimmaterial. Y tothe Vframe bars 1 and'k #the sills 2 at 'or' adjacent the `frontlextremi- 192s. semi No. 116,188.

ties thereof are hangers or pedestals consisting of vertically disposed angle bars 8 spaced apart and connected attheir lower .ends by a bridging bracket 9, and extending between these hangers and secured rigidly thereto 1s a bolster or cross beam 9 which, as shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and l, is preferably lcomposed of two channel bars 10 andy l1 se. cured together with their intermediate webs in abutment and their flanges extending, respectively, upwardly and downwardly. The upper channel bar isdisposed so that its intermedlate webwill lie flush with the under side of the sills 2 and the lowerchannel bar may have its ends projected under the sills so to'be riveted or otherwise rigidly secured thereto." The'axle 12 is shown as consisting of angle bars 13 and 14 placed 'together to form a flat-sided tube disposed'below the bolster 9and fitting closely between theilower V the flan es of the lower channel bar 1l at the ff center t iereof and isprovided with` a central openmg 16 through which thebolt 17 extends, a spring'lS being shown coiled around tliebolt between the upper channel bar 10 andthe head of the bolt. The filler block `15 bears at its' V'under side u ontlier axle, as

.clearly shown in Figs. 3 an 4, and thereby aids in guiding the boltinto position and preventing bendin fof the same. The bolt extends Vdownwar y through the axle, as shown most clearlyA in Fig.v 4, and through the head block 19 vwhich is disposed below the axle and is held up against the'same by the spring 18, .which may be disposedbetween the block and the nut 18'on the lowerk end of the bolt, if preferred. The head block 19 is bolted or otherwise secured betweenthe extend both forwardly. and'rearwardly from the axle andthe forward lportions thereof are preferablydished or slightly arcuate, as

vrons Aand as will be understood.

shown most clearly in Fig. 1, whereby the pivotal connection of the draft tongue will be somewhat lowered and additional clearance for the conveyer 4 thus obtained. rlhe front extremities of the draft bars are con nected by a metal strap or bridge piece 25 which extends over the draft tongue and thereby limits the possible upward swinging movement of the same so that it cannot interfere with the operation of the conveyer. This strap also serves as a reinforcing niember to impart rigidity to the front extremities of the draft bars and prevent spreading of the same. The connection of the draft bars with the axle may be reinforced so 'that the bending strain upon the bolt 1T will loe overcome, by providing coupling brackets 26 secured to the front and rear sides of the axle and to the top of the head block 19, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. lt will be readily noted that the axle may move downwardly between the hangers 8 at one end and upwardly at the other end between the flanges of the channel 11 to accommodate unevennesses in the surface over which the machine is drawn, and the spring 18 will prevent the chattering usually incidental to vibration. A slight lateral movement of the axle is permitted but is limited by the bolt 17, and may be additionally limited by stop blocks 27, if desired, secured' to the under side of the axle and having their front and rear ends or edges notched so as to engage loosely around the hanger members 8. The openings 16 through the bolster members 1() and 11 are a trifle elongated and this format-ion, with a little side slipping of the filler blocks 15 accommodates the oscillation, the sidewise movement being veryl slight, when it occurs at all. The vertical movement,

however, will be ample to accommodate theA irregularities in the surface of the ground and the tie members 9 are bowed outwardly so that they willnot interfere with vertical movement of the stop blocks 27.

The wheels 28 are mounted upon the hori" zontal portions of spindles 29 which have their vertical portions inserted upwardly through sleeves 30 provided with lateral arms 31 which are fitted in the respectively adjacent ends of the axle and are secured rigidly therein by bolts or rivets, as shown A. cap 32 is provided on the upper end of each sleeve 30, and this cap carries an oil cup 33 whereby lubricant may be supplied to the spindle. The elbow of the spindle is fitted in a casing 34 which has its ends in abutting relation to the inner end of the respectively adjacent hub and to the forward end of a spindle arm 35 which is interposed between the casing and the superposed sleeve 30. Each casing 34 is provided at its upper end with forwardly and rearwardly projecting lugs or flanges 36 which are riveted or bolted to the respectively superposed spindle arm 35 so that, if movement be imparted to the arm, the casing will be likewise turned and the spindle caused to rotate about the axis of its vertical portion thereby disposing the wheels in angular relation to the axle and effecting steering of the machine.v rllhe spindle arms 35 extend rearwardly from the spindles and to the rear end of each arm is pivoted the outer end of a link 37, the inner ends of the links being disposed in overlapping relation and pivoted to a strap or bridge member 38 which is rigidly secured to and connects the rear extremities of the draft bars 20 lf the draft tongue 21 be swung to either side, the rear ends of the draft bars 2O will be swung to the opposite side of the machine and this movement will be imparted through the links 37 to the spindle arms and thence to the spindles so that the wheels will be set in proper angular relation to the machine to steer the machine in the desired direction. 1tv will be noted that the connections between the draft bars and the Vwheels are all in rear of the axle where they are out of the way and they cannoli possibly interfere with the operation or the adjustment of the conveyer. rlhe construction and arrangement of the several parts of our axle mounting permits the pivot or driving shaft of the conveyer to be disposed at a relatively low point of the machine frame, and in the case of a corn husker, for instance, the lower end of the conveyer is brought into such relation to the machine frame and the husking rolls that the lower ends of the rolls and the lower end of the conveyor will constitute a hopper whereby the ears of corn will pass easily and positively into the conveyer to be carried away by the latter. Our construction is especially adapted for lowdown machines which are desirable inasmuch as such machines move over rough roads with minimum whipping of the draft tongue. Moreover, low-down machines .are more easily accessible for feeding operations.

' Having thus claim:

1. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of frame members, a conveyer-driving shaft mounted on the frame members, hanger members secured to and depending from the frame members, an axle extending between said hanger members, wheels mounted at the ends of the axle,a yieldable support for the axle between the hanger members, draft bars secured to the described the invention, we

axle and projecting forwardly therefrombei low the conveyer-driving shaft, and means for applying-draft to the draft bars.

2. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of frame bars, a conveyer having a driving shaft 'mounted 0n the frame bars, an axle mounted below and supported from the frame bars, draft bars secured to the axle and projecting forwardly from the axle below the conveyer, a draft `ongue connected to the forwardly projecting portions of the draft bars, and supporting Wheels carried by the ends of the axle.

3. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of frame bars, a bolster secured to and extending between the frame bars, hanger guides depending from the frame bars at the ends of the bolster, an axle yieldably held to the bolster and extending through the hanger guides, wheels carried by the ends of the axle, a conveyer having a driving shaft mounted in front of the bolster and the axle, and draft bars connected to the axle and extending rearwardly therefrom and also forwardly therefrom below the conv-eyer driving shaft, means in rear of the axle connecting the draft bars with the wheels for angularly shifting the wheels.

4. In apparatus for the purpose set forth,

the combination of frame bars, a bolster se cured to and extending between the frame bars, an axle below the bolster, a bolt passing through the axle and the bolster, means cooperating with the bolt to yieldably hold the axle to the bolster, wheels carried by the ends of the axle, and means for angularly setting the wheels.

5. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of frame bars, hanger guides depending from the frame bars, a bolster including a channel secured to and extending between the frame bars, an axle extending through the guides below the bolster, draft bars disposed below and connected with the axle at the center thereof, a king bolt disposed between the draft bars and passing upwardly through the axle and the bolster, a ller block around the king bolt within the channel of the bolster, a spring carried by the bolt and holding the axle to the bolster, wheels carried by the ends of the axle, and connections between the rear ends of the draft bars and the wheels whereby to effect steering.

G. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of frame bars, an axle supported from and disposed below the frame bars, a conveyer having a driving shaft mounted on the frame bars in front of the axle, a draft element connected to the axle and projecting forwardly therefrom below the conveyer driving shaft, wheels mounted on the ends of the axle for pivotal steering movement, and connections between the draft element and the wheels whereby to angularly set the wheels.

7. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of frame bars, a bolster secured to vand extending between said members and provided centrally with an opening elongated in a direction transverse to theI frame members, an axle disposed below the bolster, means for retaining the axle in the same vertical plane with thev bolster, a bolt inserted vertically through the axle and the central elongated opening in'the bolster, and means cooperating with the bolt for yieldably holding the axle against the bolster.

ln testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

[L. s.] [1.. s.] 

